hidden bruises and hidden feelings
by EmberSun
Summary: Wally A.K.A. Kid Flash is being abused! he doesn't know how much longer he can take it. he has thought about telling someone but he doesn't want to be a burden to anyone, but what happens when a certain archer finds out about his home life in a most unsettling way? rated for child abuse and maybe cursing in latter chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: hey guys! i know that i have other stories to work on and that i shouldn't start another, but i had this idea and i just couldn't wait to put it up here. =)  
i still update o brother today or tomorrow and then i will update it every Saturday or when i have time. i will update this story every Monday or when i have time. updates for musical justice will come as i get ideas.  
o i hope you enjoy this.  
**

**warning****!: contains child ****abuse!  
**

**disclaimer:i don't own anything!**

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Hidden bruises and hidden feelings

I sat on my bed with my knees pulled up to my chest, tears silently falling down my face. I knew what time it was and that he was coming for me. I don't know what to do, I rarely do anymore. I have to do something! This had destroyed my home life and at the rate it's going it will ruin the rest of my life as well. I could tell someone but I don't want to pull others into this mess. I'm not worth it.

I heard heavy foot steps coming up the stairs. My heart stopped. He was coming. A small whimper escaped my lips as the door to my room was opened, and my father walked in.

"Wallace Rudolf West!" He bellowed, and I curled into myself. I could smell the alcohol in his breath. "Answer me when I talk to you!" He yelled. "Y-yes sir." I stammered.  
"You are 15 right?" I didn't answer. "Well?" He said walking over to my bed.  
"Y-y-es." I managed to squeak out.  
"15 years." He mumbled to himself. I sucked in my breath, I knew what was coming.  
"15 years!" He yelled.  
He then grabbed my arm and threw me off of my bed and to the floor. I let out a small cry when I hit the ground. I wanted to get up, but I hadn't eaten in a while, he wouldn't let me. My strength was drained.  
"15 years I've cared for you! and what do I get as a thanks?" He delivered a hard kick to my ribs.  
"You go running off playing hero!" I cried out as he kicked my rib cage again and I heard a sickening snap.  
I want to run but I don't have the strength.  
"Well let me tell you something Mr. Hero! That's all it is a game!" He grabbed my history text book off of my desk by the pages and threw it at me. It hit me in the head, and I ground my teeth to gather as blood ran down the side of my face.  
I would usually be able to take a beating from a villain, but when it comes from your own family it hurts so much more.  
I watched as my own father walked over to me and pulled me up by my hair. I winced at the pain.  
"And pretty soon that little game of yours will end and everyone will see you for what you really are.  
A failure, a nothing, a mistake." With that final word he hurled me against the wall.  
I sank to the floor and cried as he continued to beat me. He eventually stopped and left me alone in my injured state. I'm not sure how long he spent beating me but it had felt like an eternity. I slumped agents the wall and let the tears fall.

* * *

I opened my eyes weekly. I had fallen asleep agents the wall last night because I couldn't find the strength to stand up. I looked around my room, and saw that it was a mess. The blankets that were on my bed were now on the floor, my history text book that my dad had hit me with was lying on the floor several pages ripped and the cover of the book had some of my blood on it.

Several other thing from my desk littered my floor, and next to me on the ground was the picture of me and uncle Barry that had fallen off the wall when I collided with it. I groaned as I tried to stand up. I still didn't have much strength but the sleep, even if it wasn't good, helped some. I limped over to my bed and pulled a bag of chips from it's hiding place underneath it.  
It didn't take long before I started hiding food in my room, knowing that he would try to starve me.  
I opened the bag and ate the chips in twenty seconds. I looked at the clock that was lying on my floor. It read 5:30. good dad, if you can call him that, wouldn't be up for a few more hours. I had time to get out.

I walked, or as close as I could get to walking, over to my closet and grabbed a black bag. I had also started keeping a bag with close and such in case I ever had a chance to get out.  
I walked over to the door and twisted the handle, it was unlocked. Luckily dad had been so stoned last night to remember to lock the door.  
I walked down the hall as quietly as I could and to the kitchen. I grabbed an apple and left the house.  
I was thankful that it was still dark meaning no one would see me. I was also thankful for the fact that I had super healing so I was already starting to feel better.

* * *

I walked down the street looking over my shoulder every once in a while. I knew that dad wasn't up and that I was at lest a mile from my house now so he wouldn't be behind me but I couldn't help it.  
I rounded another corner and into an ally, where there was an old phone booth with an out of order sigh on it. I quickly slipped inside making sure that no one saw me.  
"Kid Flash mount justice." I told the machine.  
I was then encased in a bright light. When the light faded I could here the computer announcing my arrival to mount justice. I winced at it's volume, and hoped that it didn't wake anyone up.  
I quickly made my way to the kitchen where I grabbed granola bar, since I finished the apple while I was on my way to the zeta beam, and went to my room.

* * *

I sighed as I closed and locked the door behind me. I set the black bag and the granola bar on my bed and went into my privet bathroom. I looked in the mirror and winced again at the sight of my beaten face.

If I looked this bad after several hours of speed healing I don't want to think what I looked like when it first happened. I pulled a first add kit out of the cabinet under the sink. Every bed room had one and that was another thing I was thankful for.  
I opened it pulled out a roll of bandages. I then took my shirt off and bandaged up my broken ribs.  
I had to make it look like nothing happened.

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**well there you go! i hope you all like this story! =)  
just so you know in this story wally's mom is dead. you will hear some stuff about that latter but the way she dies was an idea of my own.  
please let me know what you thought of this chapter!  
reviews are welcomed as is criticism. ^-^  
sorry for any typos!  
please review!  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: hay guys? OK OK BEFORE YOU START THROWING THINGS AT ME LET ME EXPLAIN!  
****alright so i know that this is really over do but my life is out of control! if you had read my A/N in the last update of 'O Brother' then you know that my grandpa passed away about a week ago. so i have a lot of family coming in from out of town, meaning that i have to clean my house. that alone is an impossible task! i also have to help with getting stuff for the funeral ready. i also have school and other stuff i have committed to. sadly fanfiction has slipped down the list of priorities. =/  
all that aside i really hope you enjoy this chap! sorry it can't be longer. i have a short amount of time and i figured that you guys would like to at lest have something. **

**so here yo go! hope yo enjoy! **

**disclaimer: i don't own anything that is not mine! **

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hidden bruises and hidden feelings chapter 2

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Wally had finished bandaging his ribs and covering some of the bruises on his face his makeup. He looked at the clock on the wall. It read 6:45.

I walked back into my room and sat on my bed. I opened my black bag and pulled out a black note book. I opened it and thumbed through the pages. I then took a penile from the bag and started to wright. When ever I received a beating, no matter how bad, I would right what happened in this book. I would list all my injuries, every word that was said what I looked like after the beating. I never left out a detail, which sometimes made it really gory. I'm not sure why I would wright it down in this book. I guess I felt that if I wrote it down on the paper I no longer had to remember it. Of course I still remember it all, but I didn't think about it as much.

When I had finished writing I looked at the clock. It was now 7:16. the others should be getting up soon. I stuffed the book and pencil under my pillow and walked out of my room.

I walked back to the kitchen to get some more food. I was still hungry. When I entered the kitchen I was greeted by the smell of bacon, and eggs. M'ggan was standing over the stove with her back to me.  
"morning sweet stuff. Whats cooking?" I asked in a flirtation way.

M'ggan jumped at the sound of my voice and let out a small yelp.

"o wally it just you. Don't scare my like that!" she said.

Yep _just _me. I thought to my self.

"sorry babe." I apologized with a smile. "so bacon?"

"yep."

"great I love bacon!" I told her.

"well its not ready yet but I'll let you know when it is." she said.

"ok great! is Robin up?" I asked the green girl.

"I think he's in the gym."

"thanks" I said grabbed a banana off the counter and ran to find my friend.

I found Robin in the gym on the bench press. It still amazed me that he could lift more then I could.

"hay Robin!" I greeted him as if nothing as wrong.

"oh hay Wally." he said as he finished lifting. "why are you here? You didn't spend the night." he observed.

"how do you lift so much weight?" I asked him side stepping his question.

"well it's my job to be better at everything then you." He said with my cocky smile. My own sime falters a little at his comment but it's barely noticeable.

"so how come your here?" he asked again.

On the outside I tried to remain nonchalant, while on the inside I was having a mental battle with myself.

Do I tell him or not?

Now is a perfect time to tell him it's just the two of us.

But what will he think.

Would he think I'm week?

"I just thought I should come in early this morning." I decided not to tell him the real reason.

"how come?" he asked.

Really?! Why does he fell like he has to know? "well I had to leave before my dad woke up or I would have had to do the dishes." I lied without skipping a beat. I mean it wasn't all a lie. I really did have to get out of the house before my dad woke up.

"wow Wally that's just sad." Robin chuckled.

Not as sad as the real reason. I thought to myself.

"everyone breakfast is ready." M'ggan's cheery voice came over the speaker. A smile spreed arose my face at her words.

"race you there!" I shouted, and speed off towards the kitchen.  
"not fair!" I could hear Robin shout.

I was in the kitchen in a blink of an eye. There were bacon and eggs on plate sitting at the table.

There were six places set and one of them had three plats in front of the chair. I zipped over and sat in the place with the three plates.

"wow this looks wonderful! Thanks green cheeks." I winked at her.

"um your welcome Wally." she replied.

"o leave her alone Baywatch." Artemis said as she entered the kitchen.

"morning Arty." I greeted her.

"I told you not to call me that!" The archer snapped.

"well someone got up on the wrong side of the bed." I mumbled.  
"what?" she asked with a glare on her face.  
"nothing!" I replied hastily.

"yeah right." she sat at the end of the table.

Kaldur was the next to come in, he had a book in his hand. He took the set next to Artemis.

Next was Conner who sat by M'ggan across from Kaldur. There was one spot left next to me where Robin usually sat. we all started eating not waiting for Robin. Artemis and Kaldur complimented M'ggan on how her cooking had improved while Conner just grunted his agreement.

A few minutes latter Robin came in. he was on his phone.

"ok I got to go. Ill talk to you later. Bye" he hung up his phone and slipped it into his pocket. "sorry about that just some personal stuff." he said.  
By the look on his face I could tell it was Barbra he had been talking to.

There's another thing that bugged me! The fact that Robin, my best friend, spent more time with that girl then he did with me! I know I spend a lot of time flirting with girls but I always make time for my best friend. Maybe he thought that I'm not worth it, but he's just to nice to tell me. No, no that crazy! Pull it to gather west.

I couldn't let these lies get to me, that is if they are indeed lies. Of cores there lies! Stop thinking like that!

And the morning went bye. Kaldur read his book, M'ggan cooked, Robin was o his phone most of the time (probably texting Barbara) and Artemis and I fought most of the morning. Yep pretty normal day.

It was all going fine, I was in my room getting ready. We decided it would be a good idea to go explore Happy Harbor as a part of team bonding.

My phone went off, and I walked over to my bed where I had set it.

I picked up the phone and looked at the caller I.D. it was my dad. I then looked at the time. It was around noon. Yep this is the time he is usually up. I mute the ringer and throw the phone back on my bed. I leave the room to find the rest of the team.

If dad doesn't know where I am he can't hurt me right?

In the west home:

"pick up Wallace!" Wally's father yelled into the phone even though no one was on the other end.

He cursed when he was sent to voice mail.

"Wallace west you worthless piece of junk you get your butt back over here ASAP!" he shouted into the phone the hung up.

That boy was dead meet.

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**yeah i know it's short but at lest it's there.**

**hope you liked it! please review! ^.^ **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: here you go! chapter three!  
i really love the attention this story is getting! thank you all for the reviews and stuff!  
i'm really sorry i didn't update this last week. my crazy life is beginning to calm down a bite so i'll be able to update more often.  
****hope you enjoy this! **

**Disclaimer: if i said i owned this would you believe me?**

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Hidden Bruises and Hidden Feelings: chapter 3

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The hole team bonding thing was going good. About twenty minutes into the trip Rob's phone ran out of battery, meaning he was forced to stop talking to Barbara. So he started to hang out with me. It made me feel a little better, knowing that I was at lest second on his list of best friends.

On our exploration of Happy harbor we stopped at the mall and I taught Conner just how fun an arcade could be. He did break a few of the games, but Rob payed the owner and we got out with almost no damage done. We then walked on the beach, You can guess who's idea that was, and we had to dragged Kaldur away when he started to lecture a kid on why he shouldn't have thrown his candy bar raper into the ocean.

Then we went to a book store. M'ggan bought a cook book, and Artemis bought some book she needed for school.

And last but not lest we stopped for some food! When we were walking out of the book store we saw a little pizza shop across the street, and to my delight everyone agreed that we should stop for some pizza. We sate at one of the tables outside, empty pizza boxes covered the table. My five team mates had finished three pizzas, while I ate about four on my own. I was finally feeling better. Little did I know that my happiness would be short lived.

"How do you eat so much food?" M'ggan asked looking at me with an expression of amazement and disgust.

"Speedster remember? I need to eat to keep my energy up." I answer as if it was obvious.

"But the flash doesn't eat as much as you and he is still faster." Conner pointed out.

You want to know the truth? I eat a lot when I'm with you because my abusive father starves me! There was no way I was saying that out loud.

"Well I'm younger then he is so I need to eat more so I can keep up." I lied. It has become a very common thing to lie to my friends through my teeth.

Conner just looked at me for a moment, I was beginning to think he was going to press further into the matter when he spoke again. "Yeah I guess I get it." He said in his normal flat tone.

I smiled, happy to know that I wouldn't have to cover my lie with another one.

"So what should we do next?" Robin asked. He looked a little bored and I could tell he wanted to do something adventurous.

"Oh!" I shouted as an idea came to my mind. I stood up to propose my idea. "What if we go and- oops." I blinked down at Artemis who was now covered in my soda. I had accidentally knocked it over when I abruptly stood.  
"Wally you idiot! Look what you did!" The archer shouted, a scowl fixed on her face.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean-" She cut me off.  
"Oh yeah right! I bet that was on purpose!" She snapped.  
"It was just soda!" I said raising my hands in the air.

"But this was a new jacket!" She yelled back. "My mom is going to kill me!"

"Wow Arty! Calm down!" Robin chimed in. "I'm sure he didn't mean to do it."

"Well if Kid worthless over here could do something right for a change then I wouldn't have a reason to not be calm!" She shouted not thinking about her words.

At that the rest of the team went silent. And not just the team, the other customers were all looking at our table, along with a few waitresses, and the random guy walking down the street. It seemed like the whole world was on mute.

I had thought for a while that my friends might think of me the same way my Dad did, but this was the first time anyone had said it out loud. It hurt. It hurt a lot!

Artemis' eyes were just as wide as mine, as if she just realized what she said.  
"Wally I-" She started. I began to back away. Her words echoing in my head all the people looking at me. I couldn't stay here. I turned and began to run at a normal human pace, but as soon as I was far away enough from all the eyes that were watching me I ran at my top super speed. I needed to get far away.

Artemis' P.O.V.:

How could I have said that to Wally? I know the two of us aren't the best of friends and I pick on him a lot, but that doesn't mean I hate him. I had never said something like that to anyone before, and he was right it was just soda. I should have calmed down. Stupid anger issues! I had to get that checked out.

After I exploded and Wally ran off no one said anything. Everyone just sate there with disappointed looks.

I then got up and left for the closest zeta beam. I had to find Wally.

When I got to the mountain I had looked in the kitchen and entertainment room, but there was no Wally.

That brought me here. To his room.

I approached the door to his room and knocked softly on it.

"Wally are you there?" I asked, but got nothing but silence in return.

"Wally I'm really sorry." Still no response.

"Look Wally I know your mad at me and I deserve it. I shouldn't have over reacted like that. I'm really sorry!" it was still completely silent on the other side of the door. Was he even in there?

"Wally?" I put my hand on the door knob. I don't know what it was but I felt something pulling me to open the door.

I turned the knob and slowly opened the door. I greeted bye a normal looking room void of any life.

I sighed. Great. Where could he be? Maybe he went home.

There was no telling when I would see him again, and when I did he probably wouldn't want to talk to me.

I could leave him I note! I walked over to his desk and picked up a note pad. I then looked around for a pen.

"Why would he have a note pad but no pen?" I asked out loud. "Oh wait here's one."

I walked over to the bed where a pen was sticking half way out from under the pillow.

Then I noticed something else.

I move the pillow to find a small black book.

I don't know what drove me to do it, but I opened it and began to read.

My curiosity getting the better of me.

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**well there you go! Please review and let me know how i'm doing!  
sorry for any typos!**

**please review! **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: hey guys! sorry for the wait guys! i know i was supposed to post this yesterday but stuff came up.  
i'm not going to give you a bunch of details and excuses cause i know you really want to get to the story. most of you have probably skipped right to the story... yeah.  
i wont keep you any longer. here you go chapter 4!**

**disclaimer (cause i have to :l): if you ever come up with a way i could own young justice please let me know. **

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I don't know what drove me to do it, but I opened the book and began to read.

_May 5 2010_

_I can't believe this is happening! It's been three days since mom died and..._

"Artemis?"

Crap!

I quickly stuff the small note book into my pocket, just in time for Robin to come into the room.

"Hey, did you find him?"

"No he's not here." I sighed. "How could I have been so stupid?" I flop bake on the bed.

Robin came to sit on the bed next to me. "Hey we all have our moments." He paused. "But that was pretty harsh."

I groaned. "I don't know why I can't keep my big mouth closed!"

"It's ok." He gave me a small smile. "I'm sure if you apologize it will all be ok."

"You think?" I looked up at him.

"Yeah." He looked down at me and smiled. "You know your not all that bad Arty." He said with a wink. He got up off the bed and went to leave.

"Robin?"

He stopped, and turned to look at me. "Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"No prob. M'ggan has some cookies if you want some." He offered.

"No that's ok. I don't really want to see anyone right now."

"I get it. If you change your mind you know where to find me."

and with that I was left alone in the room again. I let out another sigh before leaving Wally's room as well. I walked down the hall to my room. When I got inside I closed and locked the door. I went over and flopped on my bed like I had on Wally's not to long ago. When I hit the bed I heard something fall on the floor. I shifted my body so I could look at the floor. I sat up when I saw the little black note book. I forgot to put it back!

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and picked it up.

I felt the curiosity pulling me again. And what I had read before... that couldn't have been right.

I opened the book ignoring the little voice that was yelling not to do it. I began to read again.

_May 5 2009_

_I can't believe this is happening! It's been three days since mom had died..._

That is what it said! Wally's mom is dead? I didn't know that.

I continued to ignore the voice and read on.

_It's been three days since mom died, and Dad is not handling it well. Worse he blames me! _

Wait, why would Wally's Dad blame him for his Moms death?

_It wasn't my fault! But he doesn't want to listen. _

_Dad is so upset, he did something I never thought he would do. He slapped me!_

_He had been out late and I waited up for him. When he got back he smelled strange and was carrying a glass bottle of beer. _

"_you worthless piece of trash!" he yelled as he stormed over to me._

"_what?" I asked. I had never heard him say something like that to me._

"_you heard me! My wife thought you could amount to something! But now she's gone, because of you, and now I see just how worthless you are!" he yelled._

"_it wasn't my fault!" I said fear sneaking into my voice._

"_shut up!" his hand came down hard on my face._

_now I'm in my room. I don't know why I wrote this down. I guess it's cause there's no one to talk to, and if I keep it inside I feel like I might explode. _

_I hope Dad gets better. I know what he did was wrong but I still love him, cause that's what mom would have done._

Whoa... I did not see that coming!

So Wally's Dad got drunk and slapped him and Wally is still going to love him? That's strong love.

But how did his mom die?

Maybe it says something about it on the next page.

_May 10 2009_

_I thought it would get better, but I guess I was wrong. Dad is still as broken as ever, and he still blames me._

_He came home drunk again tonight. I thought he would just yell and maybe slap me again but tonight it was much worse. _

_He came in and found me in my room. I shrunk away in fear._

"_Wallace!" he shouted at me. "I've been doing some thinking." he got closer._

"_It's about time there was some discipline in this house. And you are one bad boy!" he grabbed me by the shirt and threw me on the bed. He then punched me in the side. _

"_you are nothing but a worthless piece of trash!" _

_I cried as he hit me again, this time in the face. _

_He then took another drink from his bottle of alcohol, and stumbled out of the room._

_Injuries:_

_bruised rib._

_Black eye._

I can't believe this!

I know I should have stopped there. This was to personal, but now my curiosity has been replaced by worry for a friend.

I skipped to about the middle of the book.

_December 1 2012_

_this was bad! I came home from school with a D on a paper! __Dad was not happy. _

_He found the paper in my back pack, and was even more outraged that I tried to hide it from him. So he found me in the kitchen. _

"_you worthless stupid boy!" he then reached for the closest thing to hit me with. And what do you find in a kitchen? Knifes. _

I don't think I want to read this part. I skipped down to the bottom of the page and read his list of injures.

_Injures: _

_cut in left shoulder, and right four arm._

_Bruising on face and chest _

_many small cuts and bruises on legs. _

_Total healing time:_

_with super speed 12 hours. _

I continued to read. I had to skip a few pages when it got to gruesome. I could usually handle it, but when it's your friend it becomes harder to handle.

Bye the time I got to the last page I had tears streaming down my face. I knew that my family was messed up, but not this messed up.

My family is a family of assassins, so stuff like this happened, but Wally's family was a normal family! His dad was your run of the mill guy, that is until his wife died, he became an abusive alcoholic, lost his job, and his sun got super powers.

What struck me the most was the fact that this had been going on for six years and he has never told a soul about it. Six years! How is he so happy all the time? I'm a tornado of anger and everything I've gone through was never as bad as this.

Now I know why he eats so much when he is with us. His dad wont let him have food at home! I made a mantel note to never teas him about eating so much again.

There was one page left. I was going to close the book and put it back. I didn't think I could handle it anymore.

But then I saw the date written at the top of the page. It was dated last night. My eyes widened and I began to read again.

_April 20 2015_

_I heard heavy foot steps coming up the stairs. The door to my room opened, and he walked in._

_"Wallace Rudolf West!" He bellowed, and I curled into myself. I could smell the alcohol in his breath.  
"Answer me when I talk to you!" He yelled.  
"Y-yes sir." I stammered.  
"You are 15 right?" I didn't answer. "Well?" He said walking over to my bed.  
"Y-y-es." I managed to squeak out.  
"15 years." He mumbled to himself. I sucked in my breath, I knew what was coming. "15 years!" He yelled._

_He then grabbed my arm and threw me off of my bed and to the floor. I let out a small cry when I hit the ground. I wanted to get up, but I hadn't eaten in a while, he wouldn't let me. My strength was drained._

"15 years I've cared for you! and what do I get as a thanks?"

_He delivered a hard kick to my ribs.  
"You go running off playing hero!" _

_I cried out as he kicked my rib cage again and I heard a sickening snap. I want to run but I don't have the strength._

"Well let me tell you something Mr. Hero! That's all it is a game!"

_He grabbed my history text book off of my desk by the pages and threw it at me. It hit me in the head, and I ground my teeth to gather as blood ran down the side of my face.  
I would usually be able to take a beating from a villain, but when it comes from your own family it hurts so much more.  
I watched as my own father walked over to me and pulled me up by my hair. I winced at the pain._

"And pretty soon that little game of yours will end and everyone will see you for what you really are.  
A failure, a nothing, a mistake." With that final word he hurled me against the wall.  
I sank to the floor and cried as he continued to beat me. He eventually stopped and left me alone in my injured state. I'm not sure how long he spent beating me but it had felt like an eternity.

_Injuries:_

_1 broken rib  
2 bruised rib  
concussion  
bruises on face, torso, arms, legs  
Swelling in cheek and shoulder_

Total healing time: unknown

The tears start to fall even faster.

Unknown? He was still healing! How could this be happening?

He was beaten last night! How did he look fine? Did he use makeup? And he's been acting normal all day!  
That is until I yelled at him. Then it hit me.  
Oh gosh! I called him worthless, and tolled him he couldn't do anything right! That's what his Dad tolled him in almost every beating!

No wonder he looked so broken!

I NEED to find him!

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**what will happen? will Artemis find Wally?! where did he go? will his dad find him first?! I CANT TAKE IT! **

**oh sorry about that... ^.^ i'm just do into this story.**

**and if you are in to it as well then you will review! \\(^.^)/ **

**if i get over five reviews (even if they are from the same person) then i will update on time, if not sooner!**

**yeah i know but i really want some reviews. **

**review! **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: h-h-hi... *sweat drop* um... hehe um... don't kill me?  
i know i promised but i had no internet for a few days! my laptop is dying! i had to babysit my siblings like all week and they were sick! so much school! failing math! i tried so hard! please believe me! **

**ok so hear you go i hope its good enough for you!**

* * *

Everyone, with the exception of Artemis and Wally, was in the kitchen eating cookies. Robin was sitting on the counter, Conner was on one of the stools by the breakfast bar, Kaldur was leaning on the frig, and M'ggan was taking another pan of cookies out of the oven.

"These are really good, M'ggan." Robin complemented.

"Thank you, Robi-" The green girl was cut off by a somewhat panicked looking Artemis.

"Have any of you seen Wally? It's important!" Artemis asked as she entered the room.

"I haven't seen him. Sorry." M'ggan said. The others shook there heads.

"Maybe you should give him a moment to himself." Robin said, taking a bite out of his cookie.

"Is something wrong?" Kaldur asked, but the archer was already gone.

They looked at each other with worried looks.

* * *

Wally's P.O.V.:

_'I bet you did that on purpose!'_

_'if kid-worthless could do something right for a change...'_

Tears are falling silently down my face. I'm not sobbing, my body doesn't move shake, the only movement is my chest that expands when I breath in.

Artemis' words wouldn't stop floating through my mind. She had never said anything like that to me, things like my father said all the time. It was like picking at a fresh scab, every time it started to heal someone would open it again. It hurt.

The looks I got from my team mates, the feeling of everyone's eyes on my, like it was suffocating me. I cant get that feeling to go. I've been siting here for... I don't even know how long, but not long enough. I wish I could site under this tree for ever, on top of this mountain. Being up this high makes me feel like my troubles can't reach me.

But that feeling was sort lived, I hear the sound of someone coming up beside me. I don't need to look to know who it is. I hug my legs tighter to my chest.

"Wally?" Artemis asks. The softness of her voice sounds out of place among the her harsh word in my head.

"Wall?" she comes into my view. She crouches down in front of me, but I still don't move. I just stair right through her with a blank expression. I feel another tear slide from the corner of my eye, I would normally hate myself for looking weak, but right now I don't give a damn.

"Wally I'm so sorry." she says. Placing a hand on my knee. "please talk to me." she pleads. A tear falling down her cheek. Why Is she crying?

"don't cry." I say, it was bailey above a whisper.

"what?" she asks, frowning.  
"it's not worth crying over something like me." I say slightly louder, my voice sounds like sand paper from all the crying and the fact that I haven't had any water in a long time.

Her eyes widen. "don't say that!" she says. "and your a someone not a something." another tear falls from my eye.

"I might as well be a something, no one treats me like a person." my breath hitches.

"I'm sorry Wally." she says another tear falling from her eye. I still don't understand why she's crying. "I'm sorry about what I said... and about your dad." the last part of her sentience was said so softly I almost didn't hear it, and I wish I hadn't. My head snaps up to look her in the eye, she jumps back at my fast motion.

"What did you say?" my voice quivers, and it feels like my breathing has stopped all together. "what did you say?" I ask again when she doesn't answer, my voice louder.

"I-I said I'm sorry about your dad." she says her voice still soft.

"how the hell do you know about my dad?"

And just when I thought that my world couldn't fall apart more, Artemis pulled something out of her Pocket, something no one should ever see.

My black book.

The book that has all my pain, all my suffering counseled inside, and she read it.

No. NO! This can't happen to me. No one can know but she does.

The tears wont stop, but now they aren't tears of sorrow and self loathing, but rage.

"Where did you get that?" I all but yell.

"I'm sorry Wally." she looks away from me.

"where. The. HELL. Did you get that!?" I was on my feet now, Artemis was on the ground looking up at me. There was something in her eyes. What was it?

Fear. That what it was. She was afraid. Of me. Oh god whats happening to me?

I fall to my knees, my face hidden in my hands."I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I kept mumbling over and over.

"Wally it's ok." and I felt her arms around me. It had been so long since some one had hugged me, or even touched me in a loving way. I fall into her embrace. And there on top of Mount Justice, under a tree in her arms, is where I finally broke.

* * *

**well there you go. hope you enjoyed it. i cried while i wrote this. sorry for any mistakes! **

**please review! i will try and update before next week. i have tech week for a play and i wont be home at all so i hope i get a chance to update soon. love you all thanks for your patience. please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: hi everyone! so sorry for the really long wait! i meant to have this up like a week ago but that just didn't happen. =/ so here you are! i love you all for sticking with me! hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

Central City, Monday morning

Wally's P.O.V.:

'Ok Wally just get in, get the books, and get out.' That was what kept running through my head as I quietly entered the back door to my house. Since it was 6am on a Monday, my dad was probably passed out at some guy's house, thanks to a night of drinking. So that meant that he was most likely not at home. I pray, as I walk through the kitchen, that he isn't here. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for the fact that I left my school books here when I made a run for the mountain on Saturday, and I had a paper due today. If my grades slipped any further then uncle Barry would bench me from hero duty till I got my grades back up, and that meant more time at home with dad, which meant more opportunity for him to beat me.

So I need that paper!

I've made it halfway through the kitchen when I notice that there are empty bottles of beer all over the counters, and some on the floor. 'Please don't let that be from last night!' I pray as I walk out of the kitchen.

I stop dead in my tracks when I see at least five people passed out all over the living room floor, my dad being one of them. No, no, NO! He and his friends rarely drink here on Sundays! Why are they here?!

I look from the mess of people slumped over furniture in the living room, to the hallway that lead to my room, where my books are, and panic sets in.

I take a few deep breaths and start to make my way through the living room. Judging by the amount of empty bottles that used to contain alcohol these people will be out cold for a while, I just can't make any noise.

I make it to the hallway and bolt for my room using my super speed. I'm almost out!

* * *

Gotham City, Gotham Academy:

Artemis sighs as she walks through the halls of her new school - well, not exactly new. She's been going here for a few months now, almost a year, but it still seems new and intimidating. She turns a corner and walks about halfway down the corridor before stopping in front of her locker. She opens it and pulls out her books for english and math.

Artemis groans when she looks at her watch and sees that it is only 6:15. She is never at school this early but she has to meet her math tutor, Richard Grayson, before class today. Normally they would meet after school, but she has a math test today and needs all the help she can get.

To tell you the truth she would rather fail the test than have to spend the morning with Grayson. Man, that kid got on her nerves. He was too cocky, and the fact that he was two years younger than her didn't help.

Once she has her books, she makes her way down the hall to the library, where she was meeting Grayson.

"Artemis, over here." a chipper voice called her name when she entered the big room. There was no one in the library at the moment, so there wasn't really a reason to whisper.

Artemis turns to her right to see Grayson sitting at one of the tables. She plasters a smile onto her face and makes her way over to him.

"You're late," he says with a cocky grin. Boy, she wanted to hit him so hard the grin would fall right off his little perfect face.

Artemis sets down her book and sits in the chair across from him. She looks at her watch and then back up at him. "I'm only late by like one minute!"

"Doesn't matter. Late is late."

she roll my eyes. "Can we just get started?" she wanted to get the day over with as fast as she can. she wanted to check on Wally and make sure he's okay.

Flashback to Saturday night:

The sound of muffled sobs echoed over the mountain. The two teens sat unmoving under a tree at the top.

After a moment Artemis finally asked the question that had been pulling at her mind. "Wally… why didn't you tell someone?" She asked in a soft voice.

There wasn't a reply. Wally was gasping for breath between sobs, making it hard to speak.

"Wally?" She asked again.

When he had finally gotten his breathing controlled enough that he could speak, he said, "I couldn't." His voice was just barely loud enough to be a whisper. The only reason Artemis could hear it was because she was still hugging him, so their faces were close together.

"Why Wally? Why couldn't you have told someone?" Tears were falling from her eyes, and she struggled to keep her voice from wavering.

"Because-" He gasped for air. "If I did he would find out-" Another gasp and a hiccup. "and he would kill me!" When the last part of his sentence made it out he lost it again, and so did Artemis.

"I'm so sorry Wally!" she cried, not caring about the amount of emotion she was showing.

"I'm so sorry."

end flashback:

After that Artemis had made Wally promise not to go home without someone else with him. Artemis just hopes he sticks to it.

* * *

Wally's house:

I quickly grab my books off of my desk, and the textbook that was left on the floor when my dad threw it at me.

Once I have all my school books, I make my way over to the window. If I climb out of the window, then there won't be that big of a chance that I will wake someone up. But when I try to open the window, it will not move. 'Great!' I think to myself. 'The lock must be stuck again.' With a frustrated sigh, I make my way back down the hallway, making as little noise as possible.

I walk across the living room, balancing my books while trying to avoid bottles and limbs as I walk. When I am about four feet from freedom, I let a smile cross my face. All I have to do is make it past my dad, who is lying flat on his face between me and the door. I carefully sneak around my dad, but just when I thought I was in the clear, my foot got caught on something, causing me to lose my balance. I fall face first to the ground, my books crashing down all around me, making a loud crash.

My head snaps to the side when I hear a moaning sound. My eyes widen when I see what I tripped over.

My dad's foot.

Thanks to the loud crash of the books, everyone in the room began to wake up.

There is no way I am making it out alive.

* * *

**well there you go! hope you liked it! **

**i want to send a shout out to my friend NerdfighterGirl for helping me edit this chapter! love ya! **

**please review, and let me know what you think! **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: hey guys! ok so here is the next chapter! i really hope you all like it. =)  
****a few things before you get to the story!  
1: i am really ****busy with stuff for like the next two weeks. i will most likely not be updating. i will still try.  
2: i will most definitely not be updating the 30-June 6. so yeah i hope this is enough for you guys for a while. =/  
ok now on to the story! **

* * *

Why, God? Why me?

That is what went through Wally's mind over and over. He tried not to move as his dad stirred from his alcohol induced sleep, hoping, praying that he wouldn't wake up. But when Wally's dad's eyes opened, and he saw wally lying on the floor by him… that was the moment that Wally decided that God must hate him. His prayers must not even make it to the heavens.

Wally could see the hate that filled his father's eyes, and he knew that he would never make it back up. He stopped fighting, and accepted this as his fate.

* * *

Gotham academy:

why why why why why why why why why…

That was the only thing that Artemis could mentally say. She hated this kid- well, hate is a strong word, she just really really really did not like him. He just kept talking. She would ask a question about a certain math problem, and he would go on for ever when she was sure he could have just answered it in three sentences. Usually she could follow him a bit more, and sort of know what he was saying, but today with wally still fresh in her mind she couldn't seem to focus on anything. "I hope his day at school goes ok... when we were on top of the mountain he had also told me about the bullying at school. Between that and his life at home, I don't know how he's made it this far." Artemis thought.

"Do you get it, Artemis?" She was pulled back out of her mind by the question that Grayson had asked.

"What?" she asked.

"I asked if you understand." he repeated.

"Yeah I understand." she lied. What's one bad grade in math?

* * *

Central City:

"Well, what do we have here?" Came the deathly voice of my father. I could run. Since I have super speed, I could get away, but then what? I can't stay at the mountain, Uncle Barry will find me, I can't stay at Uncle Barry's because my dad could find me. There isn't anywhere in the world that I can run to. I could just run as long and as far as I can, but I will have to stop sometime, and I'll end up with the same problem. I have nowhere to go, and no one who can help me. So what is the point of running anymore?

"Looks like you finally decided to come home." He has hate in his voice, and I can hear a thirst for blood. "I was looking for you, boy." Okay, maybe not running is a bad idea. "You have made me very upset." Dad is on his feet now and two of the other drunk guys were awake and on their feet. Yeah, okay, I don't care if I don't have anywhere to run. I need to get out of here if I want to live.

I get up to run, but my dad delivers a harsh kick to my side. The force of the kick sends me a few feet and I land on my back. I go to get up and make another attempt to run, but before I can make it back up, I feel the pressure of someone pushing down on my chest. My dad stands above me pinning me down with one foot.

"I've made up my mind." He says and I wonder if he's going to kill me. I can hear the others getting up off the floor.

"If I can't trust you to stay where you're supposed to then I'm going to have to make sure that you can't run at all."

His words sink in and I am more scared then I was a moment ago. Before a plea can leave my lips I feel a force come down hard on my right knee, and I feel my knee cap pop out of place. I gasp at the pain, and try to suck in a breath but can't because my dad presses down harder on my chest. I try to see around my dad's foot to see a tall man wearing a black leather jacket standing by my legs.

My dad gives him a nod and the man brings his foot up, I clench my eyes shut. A moment later the man brings his foot down on my left ankle with incredible force and I hear a sickening snap, and pain runs up my leg.

"You are more trouble than you're worth brat!" He spit on my face, which was scrunched up in pain.

"I should have just gotten rid of you when you killed my wife!"

Tears started to fall down my face. "I didn't kill her!" I shout up at him.

"It was your fault! If you were not there then she would never have died!" There is nothing I can say to that. Because it's true. If I had not been there she would not have died. I can't stop the tears.

"You are a worthless piece of trash! And I just want you dead!" With that he picked his foot up off of my chest, and my hands went to my knee, the pain was starting to get to be too much. Dad then turned to the small group of people.

"Kill him."

My eyes widen. "No, please, you can't do this!" I scream, but he justs walks into the kitchen to get some more beer.

I hear the sound of someone cracking their knuckles, and I look up to see the group of five people that looked like they belong in a street gang.

"Let's have some fun, kid," said the biggest guy. I whimper, and curl into myself.

The beating is all a blur to me. Kicks and punches. I'm covered in my own blood and the tears wont stop falling, and I keep pleading for mercy until the pain become too intense to speak.

With one final kick to the side of my head the world goes dark.

* * *

**well there you go! sorry if it seemed a little short. i am also sorry for leaving it in such a place! i will try to get another chapter to you soon.  
i am afraid to say that this story might be coming to an end soon. so if there is anything you want to see in this story before it ends let me know and i will try and put it in. =)  
thank you to all who have favorited and followed this story! it mean a lot to me! i would like to thank all who reviewed as well. i don't think i would still be writing this thing if you all didn't review. =) please review! **


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: yeah i know. sorry i was gone for so long, but a lot has happened. i wont get into the details. i will not be updating this story for maybe another week, but after that i will have all of summer free for the most part. so yeah hope you all like this chapter. **

* * *

Darkness, pain, screaming, tears, no hope.

I don't have a hope.

* * *

Mount Justice:

"Recognized Artemis B-07" the computer announced, and a moment later Artemis walked into the entertainment room.

"Hey Arty." Robin greeted her. "Whoa. You okay?" he asked when he saw how annoyed she looked.

She just mumbled and plopped down on the couch next to him. He smirked to himself. Yeah, he should feel bad for messing with her at school all day, but he still found it funny.

Artemis looked around as if she was looking for something. "What are you looking for?" Robin asked her.

She looked at him with a quizzical look. "Do you know where Wally is?" she asked.

"Um…" Robin thought for a moment, before answering. "I don't think he's been back here since he went home." He said thoughtfully.

"Wait, What?!" Artemis stopped looking around and stared at Robin.

Robin looked at her with a slightly worried look. "Well, he forgot his school books at home, so he left shortly after you did to go home and get them." Robin explained, and his expression got more worried when Artemis paled.

"Oh God." she whispered.

"Arty?" Robin said sitting up straight and looking her in the eye. "Artemis, what's going on?" he asked, his voice suddenly very serious.

"Robin I have to go." she said getting up and running out the door.

"Wait, Artemis!" Robin was on his feet in the blink of an eye and running next to her. "What is going on?" he asked again, but she didn't answer and just ran through the zeta beam.

"What was that?" Conner asked. He had been standing in the training ring, practicing some combat moves, when Robin and Artemis came running in.

"I have no idea."

* * *

Artemis' P.O.V.:

How could he be so stupid?! He promised he wouldn't go home alone! I shouldn't have left him.

I pulled up in front of Wally's school on my motorcycle.

Hopefully he is here. I looked around and spotted a group of teens nearby. I climbed off my motorcycle and walked over to them. They stopped talking when they noticed me.

"Can we help you?" one of the girls asked me, a slightly confused look on her face.  
"I sure hope so." I sigh. "Do you know a Wally West?" I ask and my heart lifts when a boy with dark hair speaks up.

"Yeah, I know Wally, but he didn't show up today." And my heart drops.  
"Are you sure?" I ask, and a bit of worry can be heard in my voice.

"Yeah we share a lot of the same classes and I haven't seen him all day." His voice then turns to one of concern. "Why? Is he ok? And who are you, anyway?" he asks.

"I'm just a good friend." I say before turning and running back to my bike. If he never showed up to school, then Wally might still be at his house. And if he is, then I need to get there before it's too late.

* * *

I crouch down behind a bush in Wally's backyard. I grimace at the state of the run-down home, but I don't let myself dwell on it. I move closer to the house and my grip tightens on my bow. These are the times when I am thankful that I keep a bow and some arrows in the storage compartment on my motorcycle. I'm not 100% sure what I am going to do when I get inside, but I pull an arrow from my quiver on instinct. I walk up to the partly open back door and peek inside. I crinkle my nose at the smell of alcohol, and see empty beer bottles all over the kitchen, but there isn't anyone in the room. I take a deep breath and enter the house.

I walk through the kitchen, trying not to step on any of the glass that covers the floor. I do not want to let someone know that I am here before I want them to. I try my best not to cough at the horrid smell as I enter the living room. There are two guys passed out on the floor, and I can hear some voices coming from down the hall. I move to the doorway of the hall and flatten myself against the wall, and look around the corner. I can see two more people in the hall about four feet from me, one a woman in her late thirties dressed in tight jean shorts and a low v-neck. Her long blond hair is messed up and she looks drunk. The other person is a man in his forties, he too is obviously drunk. The two of them are making out, and it makes me want to throw up. I pull a dart gun out of my belt and blow a tranquilizer dart at the man, and a moment later he falls to the ground.  
The lady starts laughing, and I walk into the hall.  
"Who are you?" she asks when she notices me, and hiccups at the end.  
"Oh shut up." I whisper, and punch her hard in the face. She falls to the ground unmoving.  
I continue down the hall. I am passing a door when I hear a thumping sound. I turn to the door and I hear the thumping sound again. I take a deep breath and open the door.  
Inside is a small room, and by the bed is the flash poster. It's wally's room.

Another thump draws my attention to another door on the other side of the room. A closet.

Oh god.  
I drop my bow and run to the door. I try to open the door but it is locked. I back up from the door and kick the the handle. The brass knob flies off and the door pops open, and a gasp escapes my lips. Sitting there on the floor, more dead than alive, was Wally.

His hands and feet were bound with duct tape, and duct tape was covering his mouth. His clothes were torn, and he was covered in bruises and blood. I wanted to look away but I couldn't.

There was something else I saw. There are a few bruises on his neck that look more like hickies, most likely from that blond bitch, and I want so badly to go back and put an arrow in her. But the look on Wally's face leaves me unable to move. The hurt, the pain, it was unreal.

All of this ran through my mind in only a few seconds.

When I snapped out of my daze-like state I was at his side in a second. I carefully remove the tape from his swollen lips and I can see blood covering his teeth.

"Wally?" I say and a few tears fall from my eyes. It looks like he is going to say something but before he can he slumps down onto my lap.

"Wally!" I quickly check for a pulse. I find it but it is weak. I pull my phone out of my back pocket, and call the police.

"Hello, this is the Central City Police Department. are you in need of assistance?"

"Yes." I choke back a sob. "My friend, he needs help."

* * *

**yep well there you go! hope you liked! sorry for any typos. please review and let me know what you think. =) **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: hey all. i am so sorry for the long wait. my computer sucks and life is unpredictable. anyway here you go! i hope you all like it**

**Disclaimer: i don't own yj. **

* * *

Beep... beep... beep... beep...

That sound is the only thing that is keeping me together, the only thing that tells me that Wally is still alive. The constant beeping of the machine monitoring his heart.

It was also the only sound in the room. I could hear the sound of nurses and doctors outside the door, but I pay it no mind. I sit in a chair next to wally's hospital bed.

When we got to the hospital Barry and Iris were there there waiting for us. They would be in here with me and Wally right now, but they were talking to the police. When the police are done with Wally's aunt and uncle the police are going to talk to me, since I was the one who found Wally.

Beep... beep... beep...

I close my eyes and just listen to the sound. My hand finds it's way to Wally's, and I squeeze it. I half expect to hear one long beep signaling that his heart has stopped, but the beeping continues at a slow pace. I slow my breathing till my heart beat matches the beeping of the monitor, and a strange, but comforting peace falls over the room.

The peaceful moment ends when the door opens. I look up to see Barry enter the room with Iris close behind. Berry walks up and places a hand on my shoulder.

"The police are ready for you Artemis."

I look back down at Wally. "I don't want to leave him." I don't try to hide the emotion in my voice.

Berry sighs, and brings a chair over to me before sitting down.

"Artemis" When I don't look at him he uses his hand to turn my head. I let him turn my head and our eyes lock.

"I know you want to be here when he wakes up, but that won't happen for a while. If you want to help Wally go talk to the police."

I sigh. I know he is right. I take one last look at wally before getting up and walking to the door.

There was a police officer waiting for me in the hall.

"If you could follow me miss."

I followed the officer down the hall and into an office. I don't pay much attention to what the office looks like, like I normally would. I don't notice the color of the tile, or number of windows, or any of the things that sit on the desk. All I can do if picture Wally in that hospital bed.

"Please have a seat." The officer said pulling me out of my thoughts, and I sat in the chair in front of the desk.  
"Some one will be in in a moment." The officer said before leaving the room.

now I was alone with my thoughts. Normally I would be ok with that, but not right now.

* * *

3 person:

A moment later the door opened again and in came a man. He was dressed in a sharp looking suit and had a badge poking out of his breast pocket. 'He must be a detective' Artemis thought. The man walked up beside Artemis and leaned on the desk. "Hello, Artemis. I'm detective Johnson with the Central City Social Services. Can I ask you some questions?"  
"You just did." Artemis say plainly, not making eye contact.  
"I know you are shaken up, but if you can cooperate it will help us help your friend." Detective Johnson kept his voice calm.

Artemis sighed before speaking again. "Sorry. Ask away."  
The detective picked up a notepad and a pen off of the desk to take notes. "What is your full name, and where do you live?"

"Artemis Crock, and live in south Gotham."

"How do you know Wallace West?"  
"Our families are good friends." She said. It wasn't a complete lie. Barry had met her mother and they seemed to get along.

"You were the one who found Wallace correct?" Johnson asked writing on the pad of paper.

"Yes sir."

"Can you tell me how you found him?"

Artemis took a deep breath before starting her story.

"Well I was in town and me and Wally had decided to hang out when he got out of school. I got to the school right as it was letting out. I couldn't find Wally and he wasn't answering his phone. I asked one of the kids and he said that Wally stayed home from school today."

"What did you do next?" Detective Johnson asked looking up from the paper.

"Well I went to his house. And when I went inside-"

The detective cut her off. "Who opened the door for you?"

Artemis stopped. She hopped the fence and went in through the back door with her bow, but she couldn't tell him that.

"Um… well no one answered the door so I went around back. The gate was open and so was the back door."

That's the way the conversation went. The detective would ask a question and Artemis would answer. There were a few parts that she left out though. Like the part when she used a tranquilizer dart to take out Wally's dad and punched that lady in the face, or the part when she hide her bow in Wally's dresser. Artemis held together pretty well until the detective asked where she found Wally. When she told him about the closet she almost lost it.

"Alright that's about it, Miss Crock." Detective Johnson said as he set the note pad down on the desk. "We will let you know if we need anything else."

"Can I go now?" Artemis asked.

"Yes. Thank you for your cooperation."

Artemis was up and out of the room before the detective could finish.

She walked down the hall and back to Wally's room. She took a deep breath before opening the door and entering.

Nothing in the room had changed since she had left. The only two chairs in the room were occupied by Barry and Iris, so Artemis sat down on the end of Wally's bed.

there was a moment of silence before she spoke.

"Won't they find out who he is?" she asks not taking her eyes off of Wally.

"What?" Barry asks looking up at her.

"Won't the doctors notice him speed healing?" Artemis says looking Barry in the eye. Iris looked to barry as well. She didn't think about that.

Barry sighs and looks at wally again. "No, because he isn't speed healing. At least not right now."

Artemis raises an eyebrow.

"How do you know?" Iris asks her husband.

"Because he would at least be awake by now if he was speed healing. By what I can tell he is using all his energy just to keep his heart beating."

Artemis looked down at wall again. She could only hope that he could keep his heart beating long enough.

* * *

**well there you go. i am sorry for any typos. my friend who helps me edit was unable to help me with this chapter... so yeah.  
i think this story might be close to the end. so if there is anything you want to see in this story before it is over please let me know and i will try to put it in for you. =)**  
**thank you guys for sticking with me, and thanks to all who reviewed! please review!** **and i will try to update as soon as i can.**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: well here you go. the next chapter! there will only be like one maybe two more chapter. i hope you enjoy this! i will not be home all weekend and am leaving town for a while, but i will try and update as much as i can. once again i hope you like this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: i do not own yj! **

* * *

What made him do this? Why didn't Wally tell me? They seemed so happy! How long has this been going on?

Questions like these swam through my head as I drove to the Central City Police Station. How could this happen? To say that I was angry was an understatement. I was enraged at Wally's father! I was also disappointed in Wally for not coming to me, and disappointed in myself for not noticing anything.

I turned into the parking lot of the station and circled once around the parking lot before parking. After I parked I just sat in the car for a moment. I felt the rage pumping through my blood and my heart beating fast. My grip on the steering wheel tightened and I tried to resist the urge to put my fist through the window.

When I felt like I had myself under control, and that I wouldn't punch anyone, I get out of my car and walk into the station.

When I walked in I was met with a small room. Chairs lined the far left wall and there was a desk on the other side of the room next to the desk was a steel door with a keypad. I walked up to the desk where a young lady was talking to an officer who stood behind the desk.

"Ok you have a good day darling, and be careful." The lady said and kissed her husband.

"I will be. See you tonight." The officer called to his wife as she walked out the door.

"Can I help you?" The officer asked as he took his seat behind the desk again.

"Yes, I'm here to see someone you have in custody." I told him.

"And what is your name?" The officer asked.

"Barry Allen." I answer.

"Who are you here to see Mr. Allen?"

"Rudolf West." I replied and I felt my anger spike at the name.

"I will go get him, if you will wait here." I nodded, and the officer gets up and walked to the door. He entered the keycode before disappearing behind the door.

I took a seat in one of the chairs that lined the left wall. as I waited I took the time to try and map out what I was going to say. This was going to be one of the hardest conversations I would ever have.

* * *

Ires Allen sat in a chair beside her nephew. Her soft snores could be heard echoing through the small hospital room. She hadn't left the hospital since she got here yesterday afternoon, and she hadn't had any sleep till now either. She was pulled out of her restless sleep by a fast beeping sound, that reminded her of her alarm clock. She didn't pay any attention to it till she realized what it was.

Wally's heart monitor.

She shot up in her seat and grabbed Wally's hand, as his pulls became faster and faster. If it weren't for the fact that he was a speedster she would have thought that his heart would burst. "Wally?!" She asked worriedly and began shaking him. She wasn't sure what was happening, so it made it hard to know what to do.

"Hi Mrs. Allen." Artemis said as she entered. "Sorry about that, I-" She stopped when she saw what was happening and hear the fast beeping. "Oh my gosh!" Artemis was by Wally's side in the blink of an eye. "What is happening?" She asked worriedly.

"I-I don't know!" Ires replied.

"Wait look." Artemis said and put a hand on Iris arm. Wally's aunt looked at what Artemis was talking about and saw that the bruises on Wally's face were beginning to look better, and he began vibrating the faster his heart beat.

"He's speed healing again!" She announced. "That is why his heart is so fast, he is speeding up!"

Sure enough a moment later a moan was heard and Wally's eyes snapped open.

* * *

"Right this way please." The officer says, bringing me out of my thoughts, and I get up to follow him. We walk through the heavy steel door and down a long hall. He leads me into one of the interrogation rooms, where Rudolf is sitting in a chair with his back to the door and his head hung down, looking at his bruised hands. He doesn't look up as I walk over and sit in the chair on the other side of the table.

"A guard will be outside if you need anything." the officer says. I nod my thanks and he leaves.

The room is silent as I stare at the man in front of me. I struggle to control my anger. I take a few deep breaths before I talk. "Why did you do it?" I ask.

His head remains hung and he take a shaky breath before replying. "I-I didn't mean to." His voice is quiet and there is an audible quiver.

"What do you mean you didn't mean to?" I try not to yell. "No one can do something like this on accident!"

He takes another shaky breath. "I-I know, b-but I-I"

"You what?!" i snap.

"I-I don't know. I don't remember doing it."

Now that I was not expecting. It took me a moment to recover. "How could you not remember beating your only son to death?!" I can't help but yell.

At this, Rudolf's head snaps up, looking at me for the first time. "He-he's dead?" His eyes are wide, and I can see tears in them.

I take another deep breath. "No," I say as I run a hand through my hair, "he's still alive,"

I can see the look of relief in his eyes when I say this, "but he is in the hospital and still hasn't woken up."

At this he hung his head again.

"Is he that bad?" he asked.

"Yes. He isn't even speed healing anymore. He is using all his energy just to keep his heart beating."

The room was silent for a few moments while he processed this information.

"I should never have let it get this far," he said, his voice quiet.

I lean on the table so I am closer to him before I ask. "I don't understand why you would do this to him in the first place."

He takes another shaking breath. His breaths were growing increasingly shallow and shaky. He opened his mouth a few times, but no sound came out.

I decided to ask it another way. "When did this start?"

"After his mother died," he took another shallow breath, "I began drinking." he explained. "And I began beating him… It just started with a slap, but then it escalated from there," he paused for a moment and fiddled with his hands, "at one point the drinking got so bad that I would wake up and not remember anything I did the night before." He stops again, and this is when I realize that he is crying.

"I started seeing wally with new bruises and cuts in in the morning and I could tell that he didn't want to be near me. I put two and two together. I wanted to say something to him, but the words never came." He wasn't even trying to hide his tears anymore and he let them flow down his face as he kept talking. "I was afraid that he would tell someone and I would lose him, so I made threats instead," he was practically shaking now, but he didn't stop. "I only ever hurt him when i was drunk, and I wouldn't remember a thing in the morning." His voice began to rise and I leaned back in my chair. "I don't remember! I beat my own child and I don't know why!" He lifted his hands up so I could see the bruises on them better. "Do you see these bruises? My hands are bruised from beating my child! And I don't know why I did it!" he was on his feet now and the guard had come in to take him out. As the guard was about to pull him out the door I told him to wait.

"I know why you did it." I saw his face turn from despair to surprise to one of ergence. He didn't say anything, so I continued. "He has a book that he wrote everything in, and one of his friends found it." I looked him dead in the eye. "You told him that you beat him because he killed his mother." I could see the look on his face. It was one of regret. I stood up and walked over to him. "You are never going to come anywhere near my family again. Am I clear?" I ask, but he doesn't respond, and the guard takes him away.

* * *

**ok well there you go! i really hope you liked this chapter! i am sorry for any typos that were missed during editing. **

**i want to thank all of you who favorited/are following this story! it means a lot! i also what to thank everyone who reviewed!**  
**if there is anything you want to see in this story before it ends please let me know via review or pm me! please review and have a wonderful life! **


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: hey y'all! i am so sorry! i wrote this like three weeks ago and i thought i uploaded it! D= so here i will give it to you now! i will try and have another chapter up soon. school has started and i have so much homework! i will also have another chapter of O Brother up hopefully with in the next few days, for anyone who cares about that. =) hope everyone had a great summer and hope you live through the school year! **

**Disclaimer****: it aint mine fool! **

* * *

Hurt. Pain. Dying. No hope. Darkness.

There is so much pain. My own cries echo through my mind. I am sure my life is over, and when my world goes black I know it is. I start to panic, but then I realize that the thought of it being over is the most comforting thought I have ever had. I relax and let the darkness take me over. I let myself slow down. I haven't done that in years, and I feel at peace for the first time since my mother died. The thought of seeing her again makes me so happy. I almost feel like everything I have been through has been worth it if it means I get to reunite with the only person who has ever cared. But then I feel the speed. I try to fight it but I can feel time and space slowing down and I become aware of my heart beating faster and faster. The pain of life is back, and with it all hope of peace is gone. The darkness fades into bright lights and my eyes snap open against my will. A scream of agony rips from my lips. No! This can't happen! I was so close to being free! I can't still be alive! My heart speeds faster as I panic more, and other thoughts flood into my mind.

Where am I? Where is _he_? I react with my first instinct - run. I jump up and take about three steps before the pain registers and I crumble to the floor. Pain erupts through my body. I can feel something hard around my foot that keeps me from running. My panic increases. Then I feel something wet and sticky all over me. I look down to see that i am covered in blood! There's blood everywhere. The crimson colored liquid covers my clothes and the floor. I can feel it all over me and I don't know what to do. My hands grip my head, getting more blood in my already red hair. I can't figure out where the blood is coming from and I start hyperventilating.

I hear screams and I realize they are coming from me. I feel hands on my shoulders and snap my head to the side to see my aunt next to me. I throw myself on her, sobbing.

"Wally, honey, I need you to calm down!" she says, but she too has tears flowing down her face. Suddenly there are other people in the room shouting to each other. They try to take me from my t's arms but I hug her tighter. "No you can't take me again!" I shout in my mind, unable to make my voice work.

* * *

Artemis's p.o.v.:

I have tears running down my face as I run down the halls of the hospital. I have to get out of here. I don't know what was happening in the room. All I know is that Wally was awake and screaming, and that there was blood everywhere! Doctors came rushing into the room. There was too much chaos, and I couldn't handle it.

I make it out of the doors to the hospital. I don't know where I was going or what I am going to do, but I know that I can't stay here. But when I make it out the door I'm met with a sight I am not expecting. Standing in front me was the team, and they did not look happy.

"Artemis, we need to talk!" Robin says, his arms crossed over his chest. Damn. There is no way I can avoid this.

* * *

The day before:

"What was that all about?" Connor asked, looking at the zeta tub where Artemis had just disappeared.

"I have no idea," Robin answered.

A moment later, M'ggan floated into the room. "Where is Artemis going?" the green girl asked. "She didn't even try the cookies that I made earlier!"

"I don't know." Robin told her. "She got all upset and worried when I told her that Wally went home before school today, and that I haven't seen him since."

"You know, those two have been acting really strange since Wally ran off at the pizza place." Connor said as he put his hands on his hips.

"Are they still mad at eachother?" M'ggan asked.

"No," Connor answered, "I overheard them talking when I walked past his room, and they sounded like they were being nice to each other."

"Really?!" Robin sounded surprised. "Yeah, something is up."

"Artemis seemed really worried when she ran through here. Do you think Wally is in trouble?" Connor asked.

Robin's eyebrows knit together. "I hope not. Maybe we should go check on them," he suggested.

Everyone in the room looked to Kaldur, who hadn't said anything since Artemis had left the mountain.

Kaldur didn't like to meddle in other people's personal affairs, but if someone on his team was in trouble then they would help. "Yes, I think we should."

* * *

Robin's mind was full with ideas of what could be going on, and every one he came up with was worse than the first. He had thought of almost every worst-case scenario possible by the time they pulled into the parking lot of Wally's school on their motorcycles.

There were two kids talking in the parking lot not too far from where the team was.

"-And when I told her that Wally didn't come in today, she got on her bike and drove off," one of the boys told the other.

"Wait, what did you say about Wally?" Robin asked as he got off his bike.

Both boys turned to face him with surprise that only grew when they saw the 4 teens with motorcycles.

"Um... I was just saying that he didn't come to school today," the boy said.

"You said something about a girl on a bike?" Robin asked.

"Yeah. Some blonde chick on a motorbike was here asking about Wally."

"How long ago did she leave?"

"About five minutes ago."

"Thanks!" Robin said as he ran back to his bike.

"Guys, we need to go to Wally's house!" He told the others before they sped off.

Robin was about to start his bike and follow when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked to his side to see the boy.

"Is Wally in some sort of trouble?" He asked with a concerned face.

"That's what we are trying to figure out," Robin said before speeding off with the team.

* * *

It took the team about 10 minutes to get to Wally's house, but when they did get there they were met with police officers. They were everywhere! The team stopped their bikes and got off, leaving their helmets. They ran up to one of the officers.

"Officer, what's going on?!" Kaldur asked, worry in his voice.

The officer turned to the group. "Who are you?"

"We are friends of Wally West." M'ggan said.

"This is his house!" Robin said, pointing to the house that was surrounded by police cars.

"Oh." The officer's face softened. "There was a report of child abuse in this home, and-" He was cut off by a shout from Robin.

"What?! Child abuse! That can't be possible!"

"I'm sorry but it is, and they just took the victim to the hospital in an ambulance."

Their attention was drawn to the house where shouts could be heard. A man in handcuffs came from the house with three officers behind him. It looked like they had had to use force to get him out of the house.

"Oh god." Robin breathed as he ran his hands through his hair.

"Who is that?" Connor asked.

"That's Wally's dad."

* * *

As soon as the team got the name of the hospital they had taken Wally to, they got back on their motorcycles and sped as fast as they could to the hospital.

Robin went faster than anyone else, weaving through cars and almost crashing a few times, but none of that registered in his mind. All he could think about was Wally in a hospital bed because he didn't pay attention to him.

As soon as Robin parked in the parking lot of the hospital he was off his bike and running. He had to get to Wally!

"Can I help you?" The nurse behind the desk asked.

"I'm looking for my friend. An ambulance should have brought him in."

"What is his name?" the lady asked as she turned towards the computer.

"Wallace West."

The nurse typed the name into the computer. Robin could feel his heart beating in his chest. 'Come on, go faster!'

"There is no report of a Wallace West," the nurse said, looking back at Robin. "The ambulance must not be here yet."

As if on cue, the sound of sirens could be heard outside. Robin ran for the door. He knew it was a long shot, but if it was Wally's ambulance at least he would be able to see him.

Sure enough it was Wally, but the sight of him stopped Robin in his tracks. There was blood everywhere. He looked so broken. It reminded robin of his parents. Then the memories of all the times Wally was there for him flooded to his mind, and the thought of not being there for Wally made Robin sick.

And then Artemis climbed out of the back of the ambulance.

"Artemis!" Robin called out, but she didn't hear. She had tears streaming down her face and she was holding Wally's hand as he was wheeled into the hospital on the gurney.

"Artemis!" he called again just before the doors closed.

* * *

**so what do you think? i hope you all liked it! i am sorry it didn't get up sooner.  
sorry for any typos and is anyone was ooc. i will update as soon as i can. with all my homework everything kind of took a back seat.  
if there is something you want to see before the story ends let me know in a review or you can pm me. i know i have said this before, but the story really will end with in the next like two chapters!  
****thank you for reading and please review! =0) **


	12. THIS IS NOT A CHAPTER! IMPORTANT AN:

**A/N: Hey guys! I am really sorry that this is not a chapter! I always hate it when other writers do this but I feel like I should give you guys an explanation. **

**I have two main stories going on right now and it is hard to keep up with both of them. Right now my other story 'Oh Brother' Is higher on my to do list. So I am sorry to inform you that I have to put this story on hold. I will have an update by January for sure maybe sooner. I just thought I should let you know. **

**If anyone has any concerns please let me know! =) Hope y'all have a good Thanksgiving a marry Christmas and a happy New Year! **

**-EmberSun **


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hello everyone! I am back and ready to finish this story! Once again I am so sorry for the really long wait. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this story! Because of the long wait this chapter is about twice as long as my normal chapters. I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Now I will stop talking and let you read! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice. **

* * *

"WHAT HAPPENED?" Robin demanded. He slammed his fist on the table, making everyone jump.

The team sat in the park across the street from the hospital. Kaldur thought it would be best to go back to the mountain where they could talk in private, but Artemis and Robin both refused to leave the vicinity of the hospital.

The most of the team including Artemis sat at a picnic table closest to the hospital.

Robin was the only one standing. He stood at the end of the table glaring at Artemis who was at the other end.

"Robin, you need to keep your voice down." M'ggan said calmly.

Robin turned to the martian girl who was sitting across from Artemis and next to Superboy. "I don't need to keep my voice down! What I need is some answers!" He shouted.

Superboy stood up from where he sat between his girlfriend and the fuming boy wonder. When he spoke, he wasn't yelling but his voice was warning. "Do not yell at her."

Robin got up in Connor's face and was about to say something when Kaldur stood.

"That is enough." He commanded. "Connor, Robin, sit down."

Reluctantly Connor sat with a growl, but Robin remained standing.

Kaldur would have told him to sit again, but seeing how worked up the boy was, he decided to let the boy be.

"What happened?" Robin questioned again, his voice a little lower.

Everyone turned to Artemis, who hadn't said a word.

Artemis sat quietly, looking down at her lap where her hands were clasped. It was a little unsettling to see the normally hotheaded blonde with tears in her eyes, but then again after everything that had happened, no one blamed her.

"I…" She started, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know where to start." she finally said.

"Just start from the beginning." Kaldur said placing a hand on her shoulder.

It was another long moment before Artemis took a deep breath and began the story.

"This whole thing started the day I blew up at Wally at that pizza place." She started. "When we got back to the mountain I wanted to apologize. When I couldn't find him I decided to leave a note in his room..." she took another shaking breath. "When I was in his room I found this book…" her voice cracked and a tear fell from her eye. "I-in the book was an account of all the beatings his father had given him." she sucked in a breath, trying not to cry. "When I confronted him about it he told me everything." when she had finished she looked up. Kaldur had a sad expression, as did Connor and M'ggan, but Connor's was a little more angry.

Then Artemis's eyes landed on Robin. All rage had left his face. If there was one word Artemis would use to describe his expression, it would be broken.

No one spoke for a long, agonizing moment before Robin spoke. His voice was quiet, just a whisper.

"Why didn't he tell me?"

His question hung in the air. No one was sure how to answer it.

Then a loud ringing sound filled the tense air. Artemis put her hand in her pocket and pulled out her cell phone.

Her eyes widened and she quickly put the phone to her ear.

"Iris!" she said hurriedly. _please let him be ok please let him be ok!_

Robin's head snapped up.

"Aretims, where are you?" Iris asked.

"I'm at the park across the street." Artemis said.

"Wally is asking for you." Iris told her. "I need you to come help me calm him down."

Artemis nodded, even though Iris couldn't see it. "The team and I will be right there."

"No." Iris quickly said. "If there are too many people he will freak out more."

"Alright, I'm coming."

Artemis stood. "Sorry guys but you need to stay here." she reluctantly told him.

"WHAT!?" Robin shouted. "WHY?"

"Because if there are too many people it will just make things worse!" and she ran off not giving them a chance to protest.

* * *

Artemis's P.O.V.:

I ran across the street ignoring the honking car that stopped to avoid hitting me. When I made though the main doors I ran straight to the elevator.

When it opened I was the only one who stepped in, or so I thought. Just before the doors closed someone else stepped in. Robin.

Before I could protest, the doors closed and we began to move up.

"What are you doing?" I demanded. I just told him to stay there!

"I'm coming." he stated.

"But I said-"

He cut me off. "You said too many people would make things worse." he said. "Two people isn't too many."

I just glared at him.

He sighed. "Look." he started. "Wally is my best friend and I had no idea what was going on." he said, voice quiet. "I… I just want to make sure he is okay, and apologize."

I just look at him for a moment before I sigh. "Fine." I say. "But you stay by the door." I command. To my surprise he just nods and says nothing more.

When the doors open we both run down the hall, making our way to Wally's room. We stopped just outside the door, and I quietly opened it. The room was all cleaned up and Wally was back in the bed.

"What caused all the blood earlier?" I asked a doctor who was leaving the room, and I just prayed that Wally hadn't hurt himself more.

Robin grew more concerned when he heard my question.

"When he jumped out of the bed he somehow managed to pop the bag of blood that was connected to his IV." The doctor told her before walking away, reading something on his clipboard.

Thank God, I thought. All that blood had scared me.

After taking a moment to compose myself I slowly walked in. Robin stepped in just enough that he could close the door, but didn't come any closer.

Inside the room Wally was sitting on the white bed. All of the blood had been cleaned up. He had his head in his hands and was mumbling. Iris was sitting next to him on the bed and was rubbing circles into Wally's back.

When the door closed Iris looked up and smiled when she saw me, but her eyes were still full of worry.

"Wally, honey," Iris said softly. "Artemis is here."

Wally didn't look up but he stopped mumbling for a moment.

I slowly made my way over to him and sat down on Wally's other side. Now that I was closer, I could hear what he was mumbling.

"I should have died. I want to die." he mumbled over and over.

And I felt my heart break. He wanted to die.  
Why would something like this happen to someone like him?

* * *

Robin's P.O.V.:

I stood in the doorway of Wally's hospital room. I want to move closer, despite what Artemis told me, but I can't make my feet move. There in a hospital bed shaking, crying, and mumbling was my best friend, the best friend who I failed.

Then my trained ears pick up what he is saying.

"I want to die. I want to die." Over and over.

Every time he said it it was like a punch to the gut. How had I not seen it?

What kind of a friend am I?

"Wally?" Artemis asked quietly.

At the sound of her voice Wally threw himself on her and cried, his voice getting louder.

"I want to die. I want to die!"

I shut my eyes and suck in a shaky breath. I try to hold in my tears as I listen to him cry out.

"Wally please- please don't say that." Artemis sobbed, the tears were evident in her voice.

"I want to die." He said again.

I can't stay here. I failed him.

I failed.

With that thought I run from the room. Wally's words still echoed in my mind.

I want to die!

* * *

It took around 2 hours to calm Wally down, and calmed down meant he sat still looking at his sheets not saying a word.

He wasn't mumbling about how he wanted to die anymore, but Artemis could tell he was thinking it, she could see it in his eyes.

The past 20 minutes were spent trying to get Wally to talk, to move, to do anything… but he wouldn't. And it was tearing Iris apart. Artemis could tell that she was trying to stay strong for Wally.

"I… I'm going to go get some coffee." Iris finally said.

Artemis nodded.

Iris got up and with one last look at Wally left the room. Artemis knew she just needed to get out for a moment.

Once Iris was gone, Artemis turned her full attention to Wally. He was sitting with his casted leg stretched out in front of him and his other leg bent as if he were sitting cross legged. His hands were folded in his lap and his head was down.

"Wally please just look at me." She said, but nothing changed.

Artemis felt anger begin to boil up in her. Yes he had been through the unspeakable, and almost died at the hand of his father, but she saved him! She saved him and he wouldn't even look at her.

It was like he was in a trance, and if she didn't snap him out of this then he was just going to beat himself up to the point of no return.

"Wally you need to stop." She told him sitting on the bed in front of him, being careful not to bump his cast.

He didn't move.

"Wally!" She said again.

"Wally you need to talk to me!"

Nothing.

"I saved your life, I at least deserve to be acknowledged!"

"I didn't ask you to." He said, his voice steady but his eyes not moving to look at her.

She blinked. To be honest she wasn't expecting an answer.

"What?" She asked.

"I never asked you to save me."

Artemis feels her heart stop

"W-what?'

"I never wanted you to save me." he looked up at her, his eyes were empty. "I didn't want to be saved."

And that was when something hit Artemis. Something that deep down inside she always knew, but she hadn't let herself see until now.

"Maybe I didn't do it for you." She thought aloud.

Wally's brow furrowed. "What is that supposed to mean?" He asked.

"I didn't save you because you wanted me to." She said louder. "I saved you because I love you, Wally." She said looking him straight in the eye.

"I saved you because I love you." she said once more.

Wally looked at her with disbelief. How could anyone love him?

When she saw his look of disbelief she leaned forward, not giving him a chance to react and pressed her lips to his, and her right hand went to the back of his neck

Wally's eyes widened. For so long he had loved Artemis, but he was - is - too worthless for her. But right now, feeling her lips against his… maybe there is hope.

It takes Wally a moment to get over his shock and for a second Artemis thought she may have made a mistake, but then he relaxes into the kiss.

Wally closed his eyes, he lifted his right hand to cup Artemis's cheek and he wrapped his left arm around her waist to pull her closer.

Maybe he wasn't alone.

* * *

Iris walked back down the hall talking to Barry on the phone.

"Do you think he will be okay, Iris?" Barry asked.

Iris opened the door and stopped. She smiled at the sight. "I think he will be."

* * *

**There you all go! I hope you all liked it. =)  
****I'm sorry for any typos I may have missed.  
****Please review and let me know how you liked it! **


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